Recoil-reducing means for guns.



H. LEHMANN & F. HOHNBERGL .RECOIL REDUCING MEANS FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I4, 1914- Patented May 22, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

i H. LEHMANN & F. HOHNBERG. v

RECOIL REDUCING MEANS FOR GUNS Patented May 22, 1917.

MWNIFU T A J 2, AIT N H r APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Patented May 22, 1917.

A/ $31 N Q 0 mWQ UEW H. LEHMANN & F. HOHNBERG. RECOIL REDUCING MEANS FOR (sums.

HERMANN LEHMANN AND FRITZ HOHNBERG, or MAGDEBURG, GERMANY.

RECOIL-REDUCING MEAFTS FOR GUNS. A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 14, 1914. Serial No. 831,802.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that we, HERMANN LEH- MANN and FRITZ HOHNBERG, subjects of the King of Prussia, residing at Magdeburg, German Empire, have inventedpertain new and useful Improvements in Recoil-Reducing Means for Guns, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to recoiling guns and its object is to provide guns of this kind with a device, through'which the recoil of the gun is considerably reduced while thIe stability of the gun carriageis sufficiently maintained.

This object is attained in accordance with the present invention, by utilizing a mass set in motion through the recoil of the gun for the annihilation of the recoil energy.

In the accompanying drawings, several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated.

Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention showing a gun and the appurtenant parts;

Fig. 2, a front view of the muzzle;

Fig. 3, a section along line II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4., a section along line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, an axial section of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6, a transverse section along line IIIIII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7, a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8, a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 5 of a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9, a transverse section along line IVIV of Fig. 8 seen from the left;

Figs. 10 and 11 show elevation and plan views respectively and in larger scale of switch 13, being a detail of Fig. 8;

Figs. 12 and 13, front and side views also in larger scale, of the latch bolt 12, being a detail of Fig. 8;

Fig. 14shows a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 5 of a third embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 15, a similar view to Fig. 14 of a fourth embodiment and Fig. 16 the corresponding breech endview.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 will now first be described.

The gun 1 is guided on the cradle 2. A checking weight 3, see Figs. 1, 5 and 7, is mounted to slide axially upon the breech end of the gun. Several small hydraulic brake cylinders 1 are provided on the. gun, their pistons 4 each being pushed rearwardly by a spring 5. Fluid passages (not shown on the drawing) are provided in the pistons- 4 or in the cylinders 1 for the purpose of making inelastic, the blow of the checking weight 3 against the pistons.

Patented May 22, 1917.

On the muzzle of the gun 1, a screen 6 is provided and rigidly connected with the checking weight 3, by means of connecting rods 7 The rods 7 are carried in guides 1- near the muzzle of the 'gun. Two helical springs 8 and 9 are provided in the cradle 2, see Figs. 5 and 6, which, however, may be substituted by other accumulators. The

. helical spring 9 constitutes the main counter recoil spring. It abuts with its forward end against a lug 1" of the gun, see Fig. 5, and with its rear end against an abutment 2 which is rigidly connected with the cradle 2, thus holding the gun in its forward position. The helical spring 8 of the checking weight 3 abuts with its forward end against the forward end wall 2 of the cradle 2, and with its rear end against a lug 3 of the checking weight 3, thus tending to hold the checking weight in the position in which it abuts against the-collar 1 of the gun.

Apart from the springs 8 and 9, a hydraulic brake may be provided, which in known manner operates as recoil and counter-recoil brake. In contradistinction to the formerly known recoil brakes which consume the greater portion of the recoil energy, the here mentioned recoil brake would, in the present case, act to annihilate a comparatively small portion of the recoil energy, as the greater portion thereof will now be annihilated. by the impact of the weight 3 against the pistons 4:.

During the firing, the gun runs to the rear. At the moment when the projectile leaves the muzzle, the recoil amounts, however, only to a few centimeters. The projectile then speeds on through the boring of the screen 6 without being guided, and the in the cylinders 1 which are filled with glycerin, whereby a comparatively great.

part of the recoil energy is likewise annihilated. The remaining and not anni- During the recoil, the counter-recoil spring 9 will be compressed. The remaining recoil energy that had not been consumed by annihilated with the assistance of the abovenamed recoil brake. Thereupon the gun will be driven forward through the spring 9, while the checking weight 3, actuated by the spring 8 is returned to its initial position. The gun is then again ready for fir- 1n Tn the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13, the screen arranged on the gun muzzle is dispensed with. The gun counterrecoil spring 9 is here arranged as already described. The spring 10 for the checking weight 3 rests with itsrear end against the lug 2 situated on the cradle 2, and with its forward end against the collar 11 on the rod 11. This rod is secured to a lug 3 on the checking weight 3 and may contact with a spring actuated latch bolt 12, which is seated in a recess 2". in the 'cradle 2. At its upper end, the latch bolt 12 is provided with a cut 12*, see Figs. 12 and 13, in which the dog 13 engages, see Figs. 8 to 11, this dog being revolubly mounted in a seat 1 in the gun 1 and pressed downwardly by a spring.

Before firing, th e spring 10 of the check ing weight 3 is compressed to a compara tively great amount. As soon as the firing takes place, the gun recoils. Then the dog 13 immediately engages in the cut 12 of the latch bolt 12, drawing the latter upward, so that the collar 11 on the rod 11 is set free, and the spring 10 released. As a consequence, the checking weight 3 is driven forward and ultimately impacts with the pistons 4, so that the energy of the forward movement is completely consumed and the recoil energy of the gun substantially annihilated. During the continued recoil, the gun. brings with it the weight 3 and the rod 11, so that not only the sprin 9, but also spring 10 is compressed- 7 en the recoil is finished, the gun, together with the checking weight 3, runs forward, actuated by springs 9 and 10. The checking weight.will, however, come to rest as soon asthe collar 11 of the rod 11 engages with the latch bolt 12, which, at the time, has been drawn back into its position of rest by its spring. The gun thereupcn continues its forward movement alone. Toward the end of this forward movement of the gun, the spring actuated dog 13, slides away over the head of the latch bolt 12, but returns the impact, will now be entirely.

The embodiment illustrated. in Fig. 14

differs from that illustrated ,in Figs. 8 to 13,- only therein that a screen 6 is arranged in front of the muzzle of the gun 1, and in the previously described manner is connected with the checking weight 3. Through this arrangement the forward movement of the checking weight 3 will be accelerated not only by means of the spring 10, but alsorby the action of the powder gases ejected from the gun against the screen 6.

.As a consequence, the checking weight impacts with-the pistons 4 with greater ve-' locity and earlier than is the case in the above described embodiment, so that the recoil of the gun is limited to a minimum.

.The arrangement illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16, differs from that shown in Fig. 14, only therein that the pistons 4, with their brake cylinders, have been substituted by a collar 1 rigidly secured to the gun, and that a coupling has been provided by means of which the checking weight may be chnnected with the gun. This coupling consists in this embodiment of a pawl 14 seated by a spring 16. The 'pawl 14, which in Fig. 15 has been shown'outof place, car ries a bent ledge 14 with which a finger 17 attached to the cradle 2 cooperates.

The shock or impact of the checking weight 3 against the gun 1, or the collar 1 is therefore elastic. As soon as the impact takes place, the pawl 14, set free from the finger 17, grips over the collar 1, actuated by the spring 16, so that the weight 3 does not, directly after the impact, rebound from the collar 1, but being coupled to the gun, recoils together with the same. Directly after the checking weight has attained the same recoil speed as the gun, or shortly after this condition has commenced, the pawl 14,

through the cooperation of the ledge 14 and the finger 17, is brought out of engagement with the collar 1 of the gun. The gun thereupon runs' rearwardly, together with the checking weight until the recoil energy has been completely consumed.

If the pawl 14 is left out, the checking weight 3 will then repeatedly hammer on the collars 1 and 1, and even in this case will contribute to the annihilation of the recoil energy.

We claim 1. A recoil checking device for guns having a cradle wherein the is mounted to slide, a weight mounted to slide on the gun and means for driving said weight in the opposite direction to the gun during the recoil gun has traveled a portion of its recoil length, thus obstructing the remainder of the recoil movement of the gun.

2. A recoil checking .device for guns having a cradle wherein the gun is mounted to said weight strikes .after the gun has traveled a portion of the recoil length, thus partly checking the recoil, said means comprising a screen positioned in front of the muzzle of the gun, said screen having rigid connections with said weight and constructed to obstruct the free passage of the escaping powder gases.

3. A recoil checking device for guns having a cradle wherein the gun is mounted to slide, a weight mounted to slide on the gun and means fordriving said weight in the opposite direction to the gun during the recoil, an abutment on the gun against which said weight. strikes'after the gun has traveled a portion of the recoil length, thus partly checking the recoil, said means comprising a screen positioned in front of the muzzle of the gun, said screen having rigid connections with said weight and constructed to obstruct the free passage of the escaping powder gases, said abutment being pro vided with shock absorbing bufl'ers.

- 4:. A recoil checking device for guns having a cradle wherein the gun is mounted to slide, a weight mounted to slide on the gun and means for driving said weight in the opposite direction to the gun during the recoil,

' an abutment on the gun against which said weight strikes after the gun has traveled a portion of the recoil length, thus partly checking the recoil, said means comprising a screen positioned in. front of the muzzle of the gun, said screen having rigid connections with said weight and constructed to obstruct the free passage of the escaping powder gases, said abutment being provided with shock absorbing bufiers, an accumib lator in the cradle for partly absorbing the energy of the forward running weight, said accumulator returning said weight into its initial position at the end of the counter recoil of the gun.

5. A recoil checking device for guns having a cradle wherein the gun is mounted to slide, a weight mounted to slide on the gun and means for driving said weight in the opposite direction to the gun during the recoil, an abutment on the gun against which said weight strikes after the gun has traveled a portion of the recoil length, thus partly checking the recoil, said means comprising a screen positioned in front of the muzzle of the gun, said screen having rigid connections with said weight and constructed to obstruct the free passage of theescaping powder gases, a spring acting between said weight and said cradle to resist the for ward movement of said weight and return it to its initial position at the end of the counter recoil' 0fthe gun.

In testimony whereof the ficationis signed in the presence'of two w1t- 'nesses.

HERMANN LEHMANN. rnrrz HOHNBERG.

Witnesses MAX Unmrcn, HERMANN HEPHAUS.

foregoing speci- 

